The present invention relates to a clip connection and a clip element for the clip connection.
Such a clip connection is known from DE 10 2012 206 938 B3.
It is the object of the invention to create a versatile clip connection which has a simple structure and exhibits a pull-off force which is great compared to the joining force, and a clip element suitable therefor.
This and other objects are achieved by a clip connection having a first component, a male fixing element which protrudes from the first component, and a clip element which is clipped onto the male fixing element. The male fixing element has a first portion connected directly to the first component and a second, spherical or sphere-like portion adjoining the first portion. The clip element has a plurality of clamping jaws spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction of the clip element. The clamping jaws bear against the spherical or sphere-like portion from below beneath an equatorial plane of the spherical or sphere-like portion.
The starting point of the invention is a clip connection having a first component from which a “male fixing element” protrudes. The male fixing element can be subdivided into a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion or adjoining the first portion.
Via the first portion, the male fixing element is directly connected to the first component. The male fixing element can be connected to the first component, for example, integrally via the first portion or be welded to the first component or be connected to the first component in some other way. The second portion adjoining the first portion has the form of a sphere or a sphere-like form.
The first portion can likewise have the form of a sphere or a sphere-like form. This does not absolutely have to be the case, however. The first portion could also be configured for example in a peg-like or cylindrical manner or the like. The second spherical or sphere-shaped portion protrudes preferably in the manner of a head from the first portion.
A clip element is clipped onto the male fixing element, in particular onto the spherical or sphere-like, head-like first portion thereof.
An aspect of the invention is that the clip element has a plurality of “clamping jaws” spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction of the clip element. The clamping jaws bear against the spherical or sphere-like first portion obliquely from below beneath an “equatorial plane” of the spherical or sphere-like first portion.
The expression “equatorial plane” should be understood as meaning a plane which is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a straight line which extends through a midpoint of the spherical or sphere-like first portion and which is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a tangential plane of the first component at the point of contact of the male fixing element with the first component. In other words, the equatorial plane contains a greatest diameter of the spherical or sphere-like first portion.
Since the clamping jaws bear against the male fixing element beneath the equatorial plane of the spherical or sphere-like first portion, a form fit or an undercut of the clamping jaws of the clip element with respect to the male fixing element arises. The clamping jaws thus oppose a pull-off force acting on the clip element, said pull-off force attempting to pull the clip element off the male fixing element.
By use of such a clip element, very different components or parts connected to the clip element can be fastened to the male fixing element protruding from the first component.
Alternatively or in addition, provision can be made of a second component which has a through-hole through which the male fixing element protruding from the first component extends. The first portion of the male fixing element should preferably be at least so long that the spherical or sphere-like second portion of the male fixing element is located fully or virtually fully on that side of the second component that is remote from the first component. By way of the clip element, the first component and the second component can be clamped together or at least be connected loosely together, such that the clip element opposes any pulling of the second component off the male fixing element protruding from the first component.
According to one development of the invention, the clip element has a shield-like or hat-like portion which protrudes from a lower region of the clamping jaws, for example obliquely downward, i.e. in the direction of the first component. The shield-like or hat-like portion is thus comparable to the brim protruding obliquely downward from a middle part of a hat.
Inasmuch as the clip element is intended to fix a second component, provided with a through-hole, to the male fixing element protruding from the first component, provision can be made for at least the shield-ring-like or brim-like portion of the clip element to bear against the second component on a side, remote from the first component, of the second component in a region of the second component close to the through-hole. The shield-ring-like or hat-like portion of the clip element thus engages over the through-hole, with the result that the clip element opposes any pulling of the second component off the first component, or off the male fixing element protruding from the first component.
An essential advantage of the invention can be seen in the fact that a pull-off force acting on the second component is transferred to the shield-ring-like or hat-like portion of the clip element and is converted into a bending moment which presses the clamping jaws of the clip element against the spherical or sphere-like first portion of the male fixing element, resulting in self-locking that counteracts the pull-off movement.
According to one development of the invention, the individual clamping jaws of the clip element are arranged in a manner distributed evenly in the circumferential direction of the clip element and separated from one another by clamping-jaw slots. Provision can be made for the individual clamping jaws to be the same size, i.e. the individual clamping jaws each extend over same-size circumferential portions of the spherical or sphere-like first portion of the male fixing element.
According to one development of the invention, the clamping-jaw slots extend downward as far as the shield-ring-like or hat-like portion from a top side, remote from the shield-ring-like or hat-like portion, of the clamping jaws.
According to one development of the invention, the shield-ring-like or hat-like portion has shield-ring slots spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction of the clip element, said shield-ring slots extending in a radial direction of the clip element. A respective shield-ring lobe is arranged between two shield-ring slots that follow one another in the circumferential direction.
According to one development of the invention, it is advantageous for the shield-ring slots to be arranged in an offset manner with respect to the clamping-jaw slots as seen in the circumferential direction of the clip element. As a result, a pull-off force acting on the shield-ring lobes is converted into a self-locking bending moment that presses the clamping jaws against the spherical or sphere-like first portion.
Provision can furthermore be made for each of the shield-ring lobes to extend in each case over half of a first clamping jaw and over half of a next or second clamping jaw that follows the first clamping jaw in the circumferential direction, as seen in the circumferential direction.
Tests have shown that it is advantageous for at least three clamping jaws and clamping-jaw slots to be provided. Clip elements which have four clamping jaws and four clamping-jaw slots appear to be particularly advantageous. Accordingly, it is advantageous for the clip element to have at least three, in particular exactly four, shield-ring slots and shield-ring lobes.
As already mentioned at the beginning, the invention is usable in very different fields of technology, for example vehicle body construction, furniture construction, the “white goods” sector, etc. Accordingly, the male fixing element can consist, for example, of metal, in particular of steel. In principle, the male fixing element can also consist of plastics material or of some other material, for example wood. The male fixing element can, as already mentioned, be connected integrally to the first component or be welded to the latter or be connected to the first component in some other way.
The clip element can be produced from plastics material, which has a degree of bending elasticity that is at least sufficient for the clip element to be able to be clipped onto the male fixing element with elastic deformation, wherein the shield-ring lobes and the clamping jaws can be pivoted flexibly to a certain extent. The clip element can be, in particular, an injection-molded part.
It should be emphasized that the features of the clip element that are described in connection with the clip connection are also attributable directly to the clip element itself.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.